Bedclothes-clamp.



R. V. BLAKE.

BEDCLOTHES CLAMP.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 25. 1915.

1',167,O10.- fPatented 15111.4,1916.

&

I "III/IIIIIIII/ WITNESSES INVENTOR OZMW Rolphvblake I W T ATTORNEYS sAT.

RALPH v. BLAKE, or YONKERS, NEW YORK; i

1i are.

BnDcLorHns-cLAMr.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH V. BLAKE, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Yonkers, in the county of WVestchester and State of NewYork, have invented a new and Improved Bedclothes-Clamp, of

which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. 7

The object or this invention is to provide a new and improved bedclothesclamp ar--.

ranged to afford a secure, easily adjustable and unobstructlve anchoragefor a cover fastener for the purpose of preventing the above-mentionedloop and forming the lower portion of the clamp is a pair of shanksterminating in clamping arms extending at approximately right angles toone another, which clamping arms are adaptedto extend over the bed railand having angular terminals, to engage the edges of said rail.Associated with the aforesaid clamp is a triangular ring through which astrap passes and 50 positioned and. adjusted about, the clamp at aposition where the two clamping arms diverge from oneanother as to pinchtogether these arms when tension isexerted on the strap. I

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented inthe-accompanying driwings forming a part of this specification, in

' of the bedclothes clamp; and Fig. 5. is a which similar characters ofreference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view ofv the bedclothes clamp as applied, thebedstead rail and mattress being shown in section; Fig. 2 is an enlargedside elevation of the bedclothes clamp in position on the bedstead rail,which latter is shown in cross section; Fig. 3 is a rear face view ofthe bedclothes clamp; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a modified form faceview of the same.

The bedclothes clamp shown in Figs. 1, 2, 8, is preferably made ofspring wire while the clamp shown in Figs. it and 5 is preferably madeof resilientsheet metal, or other suitable resilient material may beused for Specification of Letters Patent.

clamp illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 is made ofa single piece of wirebent to provide a loop A, the ends of, which terminate in downwardlyextending shanks Band C, of which the shank B has its lower portionforming a clamping arm B overlying the outer face of the bedsteadrail-D, preferably made of angle iron, as shown in Figs. 1 and2.

The lower end of the clamping arm B terminatesin a hook B adapted tohook onto the lower edge of the vertical member of the.

bedstead railDQ The shank G is inclined to the shank B and is providedat its lower end with a return bent member C which teroverliethe top ofthe bedstead rail D. The end .of.the clamping member C terminates in ahook C engaging the edge. of the top member of the bedstead rail D. Thereturn bent member C of the shank C is-engaged by a ring E, preferablyof triangular shape, and through. which extends the shank B,

and on the said ring E is heldone end of a' strap F extending upward andpassing through the loopiA to then extend up over,

the mattress and the bedclothes, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The upper endof the strap F is provided with a suitable attaching means G in the formof a clasp or the like adapted to engage the uppermost mem ber H of thebedclothes. V

In practice, two, three or more bedclothes clamps as described areconnected with the uppermost member H of the bedclothes tov securelyhold the same in place at thelower end thereof- It will be noticed thata pull exerted in an upward direction on the strap F causes the ring Eto exert a pull on the return bent member C of the shank C to draw thelatter toward the other shank B and in doing so cause the hook C 1tomore firmly engage the bedstead rail D. It is are held securely inplace and any pull exeither of the forms shown. The bedclothes ertedagainst the strap tends to draw the V Patented Jan. 4, 1916.,

Application filed March 25, 1915. 7, Serial No. 16,891.

minates ina clamping arm 0 adapted to i clamping arms B and C in firmcontact with the edge of the bedstead rail D. V

In the modified form shown in Figs. 4: and 5, sheet metal is bent toform a loop K terminating at its ends in the shanks L and N, of whichthe shank L has its lower portion forming a clamping arm L terminatingin a hook L engaging the lower edge of the bedstead rail D The othershank N has a return bend N from which extends the clamping arm Nterminating in a hook N engaging the other edge of the rail D A ring 0engages the return bend N and through which extends the shank L, and tothis ring is attached a strap F, the same as above described inreference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3. This strap is passed through registeringapertures K of the loop K to then extend up to the bedclothes, aspreviously described and shown in Fig. 1. I

It will be noticed that by providing the clamp with the shanks and hooksas described the clamp is securely held in position on the bedstead railand the strap F can be readily connected with the bedclothes to hold thelatter in position against accidental displacement by the occupant ofthe bed. It is also important to notice that in the forms shown in Figs.1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, the movable ring element through which the strap Fpasses not only operates when strain is applied to the strap F to drawthe clamping member securely into the bed rail engaging position, butthe said ring also acts to frictionally bind the strap F between it andthe adjacent wall of the upright clamping bar or arm, so that said strapwill not slip. Thus, said ring performs a double function.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. A bedclothes clamp, comprising a pair of shanks, a loop connectingthe shanks with each other at their upper ends, and clamping arms at thelower ends of the shanks and extending approximately at a right angle toeach other, the clamping arms having angular terminals and being adaptedto clampingly engage a bedstead rail, a ring adapted to draw saidclamping arms into clamping position and engaging the said shanks, and astrap attached at one end to the said ring and extending through thesaid loop.

2. A bedclothes clamp made of a single piece of resilient material bentto form a loop, shanks extending integrally from the ends of the saidloop, one of the said shanks being straight and the other being inclinedrelatively to the straight shank and being provided with a return bentmember, clamping arms extending integrally, one forming the lowerportion of the said straight shank and the other extending from the saidreturn bent member, the said arms being disposed approximately at aright angle one relative to the other, a ring engaging the said straightshank and the said return bent member, and a strap attached to the saidring and extending through the said loop.

3. A bedclothes clamp comprising a. pair of flexibly connected shanksarranged in an angle to each other to engage a bed rail, a ring engagingboth of said shanks and arranged when tilted at one angle relativelythereto to draw said shanks into the bed rail clamping position, a straparranged to pass through said ring and between it and one of said shankswhereby a strain on said strap will draw said ring into the aforesaidangular position for the aforesaid purpose, said ring also frictionallyengaging said strap to hold the same adjustably in position againstslippage between it and said shank.

4:. A bedclothes clamp comprising a pair of shanks with means forconnecting the shanks with each other at their upper ends whereby saidshanks may be moved to and fro relatively to each other, bed railclamping arms at the lower ends of said shanks, said arms extending atan angle to each other and arranged to engage a bed rail, a ringsurrounding said shanks and adapted when tilted at an angle thereto todraw said clamping arms into clamping position, said ring also providinga strap passage between it and one of the adjacent shanks, whereby saidring may also operate as a frictional retaining means for a strap.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

RALPH V. BLAKE.

Witnesses Taro. G. Hosrna. GEORGE H. EMSLIE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, .D. G.

